Morning journal and courier., 1887-10-13
A Woman's Description of the Work
 of the Enspectresses on the Wharves.

pTGS- ents, fifty or so. Now, with the advent ot women on the docks as inspectresses, a sad change has come OCT the spirit of the fair travellers dream. These inspectresses are twenty-three in number, under the charge of Mrs. Mary E. Williams chief of the bureau. They range in age from six teen years to that point where women stop having birthdays. Their hours at the Barge Office on the Battery are from nine and seven A. M. on alternate weeks to six r. M. At this season they are rushed Sunday being the busiest day. A competi- tive civil service examination, such as any pupil in the upper grammar grades could pass, secures position and a salary ot $93 month. When vessel is sighted of Fire Island it's arrival is wired to the Barge Office. At the Narrows the Custom House officials board the great steamer, and others. with inspectresses, prepare to meet her when safely tied to her landing. At one end of the gorgeously fitted up saloon the men in brass buttons and white caps with gilt insignia, seat themselves, and in Indian file the passengers come up to the impromptu desks.
 "Your name?" asks the officer.
 "J. Helene Jones'" So much is honest
 "Alone or with an eseort?n
 Here comes the rub. If unattended her ladyship must submit to the hundred eyes of the female Argus detailed to inspect the lug gage of ladies travelling alone If with a gentleman this is avoided, and although she has tramped all over the continent, and bought from every shop in London and Paris without any aid, the result, just being pulled up from the hold of the ship, at the present moment she finds male protection 8 most de- sirable thing. Her answer, truthfully or no, goes down, and the next interrogation is re- garding the number of trunks, boxes, parcels and packages. They must all be enumerated Chic, hoy ljtt1o hoy hon6hov h1n Ia
 "Dutiable or non n-dutiable?' she is asked. Nine cases out of ten she sniling1y says she has nothing at all upon which duty can be charged-in her judgment. Subsequent events prove that differences of opinion still exist in this cold, cruel world, where an un- feeling government persists in levying tax on female friperie. MademoiseIle is then passed to the man opposite and signs her name to this paper. She has thus sworn to possessing no dutiable articles, If squeam- ish she may reply that she has few trifes and is asked to name them and place upon these valuation. Seldom is the true cost given, and often sales bills are produced (1indly arranged by parties across), substan- tiating her statements. The questioning closes with a number handed her on @ check, corresponding 10 that on her sworn depesi- tion. With it goes a printed circular in forming one bribery is punishable. The steamer reaches her pier.
  sian bonnet, brings down numberless small parcels, her steward, gracious under a final tip, in the rear with portmanteau, rugs and um brellas. She embraces waiting admirers, announces she ''had a perfectly lovely time; actually gained sixteen pounds!" this last fact corroborated by an apparent increase in volume and weight. Somehow her dress i'm prover has swelled but she accounts for this as the very latest from Regent street fashion models But keys are called for She is most voluble, too much so for the cool miss in ulster now controlling all be- longings To the hand bag first dives the woman official Nothing there. Her steam CT trunk. Also empty, void of anything although nightdress case is Still nihil. Rugs, fur cloak and umbrellas are opened. Miss Jones started with none, she now carries four of recent make. They pass. A second key opens a huge Saratoga and each tray comes under in spection. There is much headgear, suspi longings. Lingerie comes under inspec tiou, but also passes. Dresses of late make are tossed aside and into each corner go the quick hands. Ahl Something hard is struck! A box. Out it comes in jiffy. Cover torn off and through the packing comes a pair of lovely vases. These are quietly laid aside. During this the owner is all the time giving information, histori- cal, of the origin and cause of each arti- cle. But Miss Inspectress is cooler than the traditional cucumber.
 Another trunk is unstrapped and un- locked. Dresses, dresses everywhere, some but quarter made and one of dimensions twice Mile. J. Helene's size. The keen eye of the examiner observes this and the gar ment goes on top of the box, followed by gentlemRn's mackintosh, and later 8 lamp in loyal Waroa9tar the of the l0O1n stiff fened with lace. Gloves are plenty, but give way to silk skirt On the principle of set a thief to catch thief, put woman to faith om woman's ways, and you need not be surprised to see the inspectress hold up the skirt to the light, rip open one of the gores, and show round after round of heavy jet stitched inside. The pile is now of goodly size. it's owner tearfuly exclaiming: Its shame; they're only presents from friends i'll England!" But the inspectress needs her not, but goes for the appraisement with the deposition, which she has all the time held in her hand. Mile. Jones begins to breathe easy. Politely she is asked to place value upon the goods and she does so, Just as she is shaking hands with herself and wondering if she will have enough left in her portemon- naie to put up st the Brunswick or the Fifth Avenue she is invited into room on the dock. Farewell to sweet delusiVe hope. Pandora never left it in the box to be so cru ely crushed.
 A personal examin ,tion shows silk petit coats with braid and bullion and lace orna- mentation. Her pockets, jewelry by the yard, and in her back hair, when unbound, are found two shining diamonds. The anat- omy of the hustle should be reeds or springs with tiny cushion of hair. But hers IS a piece of velvet which she could not duplicate in the States, and g scissors thrust in the cushion stabs three meerschaum pipes! Be- hold her shorn and in floods of tears. She calls cab, or some one does for her, pays the duty on her little pile, amounting to about three fourths of their real worth, and loses what has been taken from her person. The next day she writes to some New York paper anathematizing the government, pro- teetiye tariff, and thinks she has done noth- ing at all illegal.
 The goods taken Sunday last from a Bos- ton dressnaker on the La Gascogne from Paris, when spread out at the Lalght street public stores, made display dazzling to the eyes. They were packed most adroitly, and the whole evidently previously arranged plan with the gentleman as temporary friend in time of need. The value placed upon those declared dutiable was eight thousand francsoor sixteen hundred dollars, when the correct estimate is ten thousand dollars. It was the largest seizure for years. and oddly enough made by the male officers. A few days before second class passenger was dis covered with two suits of mems garments under the skirt which belonged to her sexi A clergyman and wife had a whole ships cargo of household effects, which they tried to enter free, certifying that they were in use year previous. This last permits en- trance without taxation. On looking at the goods not vestige of wear could be seen, some of the furniture and carpets in the first Iustre of varnish and newness. Further in quiry showed that the clergyman only went over four months previous. People who would scorn to appropriate a farthing have the greatest efrontery, and it is comical to hear the approximations at their failures to get the earth and the fullness thereof But on the other hand, as if to show their value, the inspectresses tax rifles, and on but a few towels and couple of silver spoons saw a poor intermediate passenger pay seven dol lars and eighty-seven cents. The male in spector would have been charitable, for they had not the appearance of new goods, and they were the only things outside of clothing and necessities,